Kidney

Next phase of COIIN underway

As of October 1, the COIIN (Collaborative Innovation and Improvement Network) project transitioned from the first group of participating transplant centers to the second cohort. The new group of participants will refine and build upon approaches developed during the initial pilot phase.

At a kickoff meeting held October 3-4 in Chicago, participants in the second cohort were briefed on insights and strategies developed during the initial phase and encouraged to continue to assess and improve upon them.

Each pilot hospital will create and test improvement aims during successive rapid improvement cycles and can share lessons learned with other study participants on an interactive, virtual learning site. All participants from the first cohort will continue to have access to data in the virtual learning site and can continue to communicate and collaborate with one another. Hospitals can also monitor their improvement in key measures including outcomes, processes, relationships, and structures.

Another key aim of the COIIN project is testing potential improvements to the program performance review process. During the study, participants will be exempt from the traditional review of patient and kidney graft survival performed by the OPTN Membership and Professional Standards Committee (MPSC). They will participate in an alternative, collaborative quality improvement framework to drive improvements in organ offer and acceptance, waitlist management, and care coordination.

The new evaluation phase will continue into June 2018. In August 2018, the COIIN Advisory Council and staff will sponsor a learning congress in Dallas to share approaches and perspectives learned from the pilot and evaluation phases.